No.7 Balmac

One of Dunedin’s best for casual bistro-style dining, No.7 Balmac is the kind of restaurant that every neighbourhood ought to be lucky enough to have. Though popular with its local Māori Hill neighbours, word has spread further about this bistro that effortlessly blends everything great about classic and modern dining.

The restaurant has been on the scene since 2009, and since then has earned a reputation for its emphasis on high quality, locally sourced ingredients. No.7’s own garden supplies it with fruit, vegetables and herbs. Free-range eggs and organic meat and produce are sourced from local growers and farmers. After more than a decade of success, the restaurant’s kitchen certainly knows how to create meals that emphasise the quality and taste of their ingredients.

While the menu changes to match what’s growing, No.7 Balmac’s array of dishes has included the likes of a mushroom quinoa croquette burger with avocado, pickled onion and beetroot, herb salad, cheese and truffle mayo on a brioche bun. The sweets and baked goods are all made in house and numbers like the lemon meringue and coconut raspberry friand always delight. If you’re after a larger dessert, check out the sticky date and roasted pear steamed pudding with rum and raisin caramel sauce and Patti’s & Cream vanilla ice cream.

An excellent wine and beer list, featuring plenty of Central Otago wine and locally brewed beer, and laid back but efficient service, rounds off what is already an excellent dining experience firmly grounded in its local roots.

Open for brunch through dinner, No.7 Balmac is only a short drive or meander from the city, so whether you’re a local or not, the wander up the hill to this local classic is well worth your while.